Big Lottery Fund: Reaching Out - Connecting Older People
Overview
Older people can go through a number of transitions in their lives where they are especially at risk of becoming isolated and excluded, such as retirement, health changes, bereavement, or moving into residential care or sheltered housing.
They will support projects that:
- focus on older people aged 60 and over
- last from three to five years
- target older people at greatest risk of exclusion and isolation, who could be perceived as ‘hard to reach’
- involve older people in designing and running the project.
They want to fund projects that promote wellbeing, provide support or contribute towards independence and active citizenship, for example, social support activities including volunteering, advice provision, community safety, and intergenerational work. This programme is an open and competitive programme that will mainly make revenue grants.
Voluntary or community led organisations can apply to this programme. For more detailed information see the apply section and the Connecting Older People guidance notes.
- Organisations applying for a grant of between £50,000 and £200,000 can choose to work in partnership, but it is not compulsory.
- Organisations applying for a grant of between £250,000 and £500,000 must work in partnership.
Partnerships may include private and statutory organisations and they strongly support and encourage cross-sectoral working. The lead partner must be a voluntary or community organisation.
Big Lottery Fund funding should be distinct from Government funding and add value. This programme will not subsidise current or planned services that are normally supported through statutory sources of funding.
How to Apply
Full guidelines and application forms are available from the Big Lottery Fund website.